New Summer Art Events Explore Relationship of People and Water

A series of art events and performances celebrating water, called Upstream, begin tomorrow in the Gallatin Valley. One of the organizers, Dede Taylor, said it is an intersection of art and the science of water.

“With climate change we have a situation that is unfathomable in some ways for us as humans," said Taylor. "And I think we need all the tools available. And art and imagination is a crucial tool for how we look to the future of the planet.”

Photo from last year's Water Works Celebrations by Mountain Time Arts

Credit Mountain Time Arts

Dede Taylor is one of the founders of Mountain Time Arts, a public art organization based in Gallatin County.

Organizers talked to many water conservationists, and scientists, even people in the city water department. These specialists helped to develop themes the artists could use in their creations. Taylor says an artist was teamed up with a scientist well-versed in the theme and then the pair went to work.

“And we developed eight things that we would want the public to know about water, that would make them more aware,” Taylor said.

She said it was about education and entertainment.

“It’s really a pairing of us wanting to delight audiences with beautiful, fabulous imagery and ideas and sound, and open their minds a little bit to the awareness about water," said Taylor.

Upstream kicks off Friday night, June 16, 2017, with a ceremony at Soroptimist Park in downtown Bozeman, from 6-8 p.m.

And there events throughout the summer, including multiscreen video and sound installation at Dry Creek School, Belgrade, in late July, 2017, and a performance piece by Mary Ellen Strom and composer Greg Young, on a historic homestead on the West Gallatin River in August.

There’s even an aerial dance next week, June 23 and 24, 2017, at Bogert Pavilion. Choreographer Joanna Haigood, visited, researched and photographed Bozeman Creek, using light and sound to create a dance exploring Bozeman Creek.

Related Content

Water will be the focus of a series of large-scale art events this summer by Mountain Time Arts, the Gallatin County based public arts organization which will use a recently awarded national arts grant to fund a summer long celebration and discussion on water.

The livelihoods of farmers and ranchers are intimately tied to weather and the environment. But they may not be able to depend on research conducted by the government to help them adapt to climate change if the Trump administration follows through on campaign promises to shift federal resources away from studying the climate.

Newly released data say glaciers in Montana’s Glacier National Park have shrunk as much as 85 percent since the 1960s, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Some are now so small they’ve lost the characteristics that make them glaciers.

Days after President Trump announced that he would be pulling the U.S. out of a global agreement to fight climate change, more than 1,200 business leaders, mayors, governors and college presidents have signaled their personal commitment to the goal of reducing emissions.

In an open letter, the signatories vow to "continue to support climate action to meet the Paris Agreement," even "in the absence of leadership from Washington."